More toxic trade agreements are in the pipeline

Scope of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

Scope of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Scope of the proposed Trade in Services Agreement

If Congress approves the Trade Promotion Authority, aka Fast Track, it will grease the way not only for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but for two other toxic trade agreements now in the pipeline—the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Trade in Services Agreement.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is basically the same as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, except that it covers a different set of countries.

The Trade in Services Agreement is mainly about deregulation of financial services, but it also has a section on “movement of natural persons.” In other words, TISA would cover immigrationtemporary visas for specialized workers, according to a draft released by Wikileaks.

Notice which countries are not in any of the three proposed agreements. The BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—would retain sovereignty over their economies after United States, the European Union and their satellites give them up.

Even if I’m wrong, and even if all three of these agreements are good ideas, there is no reason not allow Congress time to study and debate what’s in the agreement before coming to a vote.

The fact that the Obama administration is unwilling to do this is, in itself, an indication that there is something wrong with these agreements. So is the fact that it puts silly restrictions on access to information about the agreements and the right of Congress and other to reveal details of the agreements—and then mocks critics for not discussing details.

What some enterprising member of Congress ought to do (I’m thinking of you, Senators Sanders and Warren) is take the information revealed by WikiLeaks and read it into the congressional record for all to read.